ceiling once again approaches. indeed, it was made all the more worrisome by the house republican hearing yesterday that focus on the debt ceiling in terms of the possibility of prioritizing our obligations, obligations all emanating from congressional actions. we cannot continue on this dangerous path. hopefully this hearing will serve a constructive opportunity to embrace a different path. i yield back. >> thank you very much, mr. levitt. again, it's my pleasure to welcome secretary jack lew back to the committee on ways and means. we look forward to your testimony. the committee has received your written statement. it will be made a part of the formal record. secretary lew, you're recognized for five minutes. >> thank you, mr. chairman, and thank you, mr. chairman, ranking member levin, for your gracious welcome here today. it's an honor to appear and to visit the president's budget for next year. and i sit here as the chairman noted, surrounded by four decades of memories of many important occasions. when bipar